There is a strong and growing need to track non-sterile medical devices from their base materials and manufacture to their use, and throughout the intervening time. A non-sterile medical device is a medical device that is shipped from a manufacturer in a condition that is not adequately sterilized for implantation. By contrast, a sterile medical device is shipped from the manufacture in a condition adequately sterilized for implantation. Healthcare providers may prefer to receive non-sterile medical devices for various reasons. In that regard, because non-sterile devices can be sterilized onsite before a medical procedure, non-sterile medical devices having a longer shelf life than a corresponding sterile medical device. Furthermore, non-sterile medical devices are less expensive to package. Additionally, non-sterile medical devices typically can be more densely packaged into a common carrier than sterile devices.
However, difficulty arises in tracking non-sterile medical devices. For example, non-sterile medical devices are difficult to track because medical devices generally do not have adequate surface area for applying marks. Thus, in many instances, non-sterile medical devices are not tracked beyond their manufacturing facility, and may only be counted when reconciled for payment as one of many products that were not returned to a manufacturer for replenishment.
Accordingly, devices, systems and methods for tracking and tracing non-sterile medical devices are needed.